As the 2019 school year starts on Wednesday, for many pupils it will be with a whimper rather than a bang.
Numerous problems have been identified at schools in Nelson Mandela Bay, with the late delivery of stationery and books, vandalism and a lack of teachers the most serious impediments to a good start to the academic year.
And while provincial education officials gave an upbeat assessment of preparations, promising that all shortfalls would be addressed by January 20, the principals of several schools – particularly those in poorer areas – painted a grim picture of concerns, some of which have persisted for years.
Kwezi Lomso Comprehensive School in Zwide was abuzz on Monday with parents whose children did not fare well in 2018.
They were addressed by school staff on what interventions needed to be taken.
A number of parents who arrived to try to place their children at the school by registering them at the eleventh hour were turned away.
Acting principal Nonthuthuzelo Nkumba, 56, said the school had closed registration last year – registering about 300 grade 8 pupils.
However, Kwezi Lomso’s biggest battle was with frequent vandalism.
“Just last week, on Tuesday, we had four gas cylinders used for school nutrition stolen,” Nkumba said.
She attributed the crisis to the school’s incomplete fencing, saying constant break-ins interfered with learning.
“Our pass rate dropped from 80.1% in 2017 to 73.1% in 2018 due to external factors like the continuous burglaries last year; and no running water which led to learners having to be sent home because it became a health hazard.
“Our fence is still incomplete due to an ongoing investigation by the district,” she said.
Late in 2018, a section of the school was stripped of all electrical wiring and ceiling lights, and during the holidays copper piping, taps and a geyser were stolen from the consumer studies classroom on two separate occasions.
Staff at the Fountain of Life Christian School in Uitenhage are hoping the new academic year will bring with it new fortunes after it was burgled 18 times in 2018, with the most recent incident taking place during the school holidays.
Principal Desiree Steyn said everything from laptops and stationery to burglar bars and kettles had been stolen throughout 2018. The estimated value of the stolen goods was in excess of R100,000.
“I was in tears when we returned to school yesterday [Monday] – they ransacked my office, stole two laptops and two desktop PCs,” she said.
“Fortunately the hole they broke through the roof and then my office window were too narrow to fit my computer boxes through – all the school information is on there.”
Steyn said as a result of the school’s pipes, taps and electricity cables being stolen it had been without water for extended periods and was without electricity for almost six months in 2018.
“We have tried to protect ourselves with burglar bars which they just ended up stealing. They even went as far as ripping a prefab class open to gain access.
“We are busy installing [16] cameras now to try to curb the break-ins. But fencing is a major issue,” Steyn said.
The school rents a portion of the Winterberg Primary School premises.
Winterberg principal Randall Mapoe says it was also hit by a spate of robberies in 2018, including in the holidays.
“We have definitely seen a spike in the number of breakins. Over the school holidays people broke in and stole stationery.
“It is concerning, especially with regard to the frequency of the incidents,” Mapoe said.
Newell Public Secondary School in New Brighton also has no fencing but deputy principal Nomtha Mazwai said its most pressing issue was the lack of teachers to match the number of pupils.
“We have a serious shortage when it comes to teachers. For instance, we now have 250 newly registered learners for grade 8 alone – in addition we have an English teacher who retired last year.”
Newell recorded a 53.2% matric pass rate for 2018, a drop from 2017’s 60.4%, which it attributes to the shortage of four subject teachers.
Chatty Senior Secondary School principal Nazlie ChanKing, 51, said the school had received all its stationery but was still waiting for some textbooks to be delivered.
Hoërskool Cillie principal Newton Kennedy, 52, said the Sydenham-based school was still waiting for stationery and textbooks.
Eastern Cape education department superintendent-general Themba Kojana urged parents not to flock to schools on the first day in an effort to register their children but rather to report to the district office in Sidwell.
“We are aware that some pupils have not been placed due to various issues. As such parents are moving from school to school looking for space,” he said.
“I urge all parents to rather go to their local district office or circuit offices.”
Kojana said the move was meant to ensure all unplaced pupils were placed at schools with spaces so that they could start the academic year.
Department spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima did not respond to numerous questions, some sent on Monday and others on Tuesday.
Mtima was asked about the status of the department’s R190m fencing project that should have secured 159 schools across the province, including 73 in the Bay.
He was also asked about stationery and textbook deliveries and teacher shortages.